Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

March 9
Saturday


PRAYING
FRIENDS

READ:
1 Thessalonians
3:6-13
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Brethren, pray for us.
__1 Thessalonians 5:25
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I met my friend Angie for lunch after having not seen her for several months. At the end of our time together, she pulled out a piece of paper with notes from our previous get-together. It was a list of my prayer requests she had been praying for since then. She went through each one and asked if God had answered yet or if there were any updates. And then we talked about her prayer requests. How encouraging to have a praying friend!

The apostle Paul had a praying relationship with the churches he served, including the one at Thessalonica. He thanked God for the faith, love, and hope of the people (1 Thess. 1:2-3). He longed to see them, and asked God "night and day" that he might be able to visit them again (3:10-11). He requested that the Lord would help them "increase and abound in love to one another and to all" (v.12). He also prayed that their hearts would be blameless before God (v.13). They must have been encouraged as they read about Paul's concern and prayers for them. Paul knew too his own need for God's presence and power and pleaded, "Brethren, pray for us" (5:25).

Loving Father, thank You for wanting us to talk with You. Teach us all to be praying friends. __Anne Cetas

```````````````I need the prayers of those I love``````````````````
`````````````While traveling on life's rugged way,````````````````
```````````````That I may true and faithful be,``````````````````
`````````````And live for Jesus everyday. _Vaughn```````````````
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The best kind of friend is a praying friend.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13**************

6 But now that Timothy
has come to us from you,
and brought us good news
of your faith and love, and
that you always have good
remembrance of us, greatly
desiring to see us, as we
also to see you__

7 therefore, brethren, in all
our affliction and distress
we were comforted
concerning you by your
faith. 8 For now we live, if
you stand fast in the Lord.

9 For what thanks can we
render to God for you, for
all the joy with which we
rejoice for your sake before
our God, 10 night and day
praying exceedingly that we
may see your face and
perfect what is lacking in
your faith?

11 Now may our God and
Father Himself, and our
Lord Jesus Christ, direct
our way to you. 12 And may
the Lord make you increase
and abound in love to one
another and to all, just as
we do to you, 13 so that He
nay establish your hearts
blameless in holiness before
our God and Father at the
coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ with all His saints.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Paul often takes great encouragement from the faith of others
(Eph. 1:15-16; Phil 2:17; Col. 1:3-4; 2:5). Despite his own
circumstance, Paul was able to celebrate the vibrant and growing
faith of the churches he helped to plant or in which he ministered.
While our faith is personal, it is often mistaken as individual. God
has graciously given us the church, the body of Christ for our
encouragement and growth (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 4:1-
16). In need of encouragement today? Like Paul, celebrate, and take
courage from God's work in the lives of those around you.